Thursday, August 30, 2012

Go Green


~ The Power of Green ~

In the 70 's when Kermit the frog - the popular muppet of
Jim Henson sang ' Its not easy being Green '- little did
people would have realized how times would change &
the green revolution would be a rage - going green would be
the hottest talk of the town , from kids to adults from
gastronomy to couture , from palettes to interiors
everything would crave for a slice of green .


Green is the color of nature , fertility & life . It is
also the color of growth , prosperity & harmony . Owing
to its soothing properties its still one of the most used medical
colors . The green in our tricolor ( flag ) beautifully
reflects the soul of our agricultural economy .



Of all the greens I'm addicted to the green of fresh
fragrant herbs .Living on a 7th floor apartment in the city offers
a picturesque view but limits passion of gardening to planters
pots & balconies. Basic herbs like cilantro( coriander) , mint
fenugreek (methi ) & dill can be picked up easily from local
markets - but growing & relishing your own gives a different
level of satisfaction .


The herb produce from my tiny lil garden beautifully
pampers our home made specialties. The heady fragrance of
mint , basil, lemongrass,marjoram, carom , dill , fenugreek
cilantro & celery are enough to turn my kitchen into
a foody's paradise and my pretty Nigella inspired
Mezzaluna perfectly releases these magical aromas.



Home made Focaccia

This flat dimpled Italian flat bread loaded with lots of
homegrown herbs is surely a treat to the palate . Much like
its near cousin - Garlic bread, its is crisp on outside & soft
aromatic inside. The best part of baking at home is that one
has the reins of the ingredients.


Bake it with refined flour or a mix of whole & refined , add in your
favorite coriander or basil & top it with olives, tomatoes, grapes,
mushrooms, peppers or just cheese ahhh the list is endless......


Olive & Basil Focaccia


Ingredients - 1 cup whole wheat flour (gehun ka atta), 1 1/2 cup
refined flour (maida) , 1 1/4 tsp active dry yeast , 1 tsp sugar ,
1 cup luke warm water ,2 tbsp finely chopped basil(or 1 tsp dry),
8- 10 sliced Delmonte black olives , 2 tbsp olive oil ,1/2 tsp dried
rosemary , salt & chili flakes to taste, 1 tbsp milk for brushing
Method - Soak the yeast along with sugar in warm water for
8-10 mins. Once the froth develops , gently mix in oil & salt .
Slowly add in both the flours , along with chopped basil & knead
for 8-10 mins till the dough is smooth . Place the dough in a
large greased bowl , cover with a cling wrap & keep in a warm
place for 1-2 hrs or till it doubles. Punch the dough & place it
inside a greased baking tin , cover & leave for another
10- 12mins. Make a few dimples on top & lightly brush with
olive oil & milk ,top with chili, olives & rosemary.
Bake in a preheated oven at 190 C for 32- 35 mins or till
golden . Cool for a couple of minutes , slice & serve.
(Whole wheat flour results in a bit denser bread , you
can opt 100 % refined flour version too. Brush the top
with egg for a brighter golden crust. )

Isn't it nice to have a multi-use baking dish , this pretty little
stoneware from Zansaar beautifully doubles up as a piece of
decor post baking .

Sending the recipe to Del monte's

Also sending to Yeast Spotting

5 comments:

  1. looks inviting presentation is super

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wonderful and lovely pie. Loved the look of it.
    Deepa

    ReplyDelete
  3. What's really nice is that it makes very well in a solar oven, too. I love a good focaccia and trying out all the different herbs that I have in my garden. I hope someday you will have enough land that you can plant all the herbs and fresh vegetables that you want. Meanwhile, I'll just keep enjoying your recipes. Thank you for sharing and come visit when you can.

    ReplyDelete

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